Thank you Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

Thanks to our colleagues in Philly for allowing us to take over their site as New York becomes the latest major U.S. city struck by a transit strike. We have already posted some general advice on weathering the strike and our latest press releases to our main site www.transalt.org/bikethestrike. We'll be using this blog to give you more personal tips and anecdotes about the strike.

Now its the MTA's Turn

Its Over!

Thanks to everyone that visited our blog. One last item here, its perfectly OK to keep your bike in your regular routine. Whether its bicycling to the store the bus stop or all the way to work.

As a bonus check out this video that shows you how to bring your bike on the bus.

Bike on Bus Video

Bike The Strike!

Home Grocery Delivery in Philadelphia

Acme Markets and Genuardi's are two supermarket chains that offer online shopping and home delivery, a very convenient service for the car free.

For Genuardi's The minimum order is $50, and delivery costs $9.95 with a two-hour window for delivery, or $7.95 with a four-hour delivery window. Orders over $150 have a delivery charge is $4.95.

Acme charges $9.95 for delivery they emphasize that there is no tipping of the drivers.

Commuter Route Maps Online

One barrier to bicycle commuting is route selection. The Commuter Route map page on the Bike the Strike website provides point to point route maps created by local bicycle commuters from all over the Philadelphia region. The page includes directions on how to create your own maps.

Bike Expo on Friday

The Bicycle Coalition will be hosting a bicycle commuter expo from 12 - 1:30 PM featuring bicycles designed with commuters in mind, including bikes that can be folded up in thirty seconds and carried on a train, bikes with built-in fenders and lights for all weather riding as well as trailers for carrying small children to day care or school.

The Bicycle Coalition will be giving away Bike the Strike blinky lights and demonstrating techniques for safe night riding.

Two local companies will be displaying their bikes. Fuji Bicycles moved its world headquarters to Philadelphia in 2004. The Xootr Swift bike was designed by Wharton professor Karl Ulrich and is an update of the original custom made Swift Folder.

The bicycle expo will be a human-powered, congestion-free event. No automobiles will be used to carry supplies to the event.

Valet Bike Parking at Breakaway Bikes

If you work or shop in the Rittenhouse Square or the Market St West areas you can valet park your bike at Breakaway Bikes at 1923 Chestnut St. They are open from 8am to 8pm.

The Morning Drive In

I drove in to Center City this morning to return a Philly Car Share Toyota Prius to the One Parkway City Lot from Northeast Philadelphia this morning via I-95 and the Vine St. Expressway.

Time Left 7:09 AM

Time Arrived 8:11 AM

Travel Time
1:02

Total Mileage
12.9 Miles

Average Speed
12.5 MPH

Percent of Miles on I-95 and Vine St Expressway

11.7 miles = 91%

This data does not include the 5 block walk to work. And of course Philly Car Share's parking space is reserved and courtesy of the city of Philadelphia

Using The Bike Buddy Rideboard

What is the Bike Buddy Rideboard? Its a bike commuter matching service. You simply post your origin destination and arrival time or search the match list and look for riders going in the same general direction.

You can contact matching riders via email. If you do find a match please send an email to the Bicycle Coalition

Bike Station Day 1

A Beautiful Day in Philadelphia Sunny and 70°.

We expect more bikes as the word gets. Crews from Channels 3,10 and 29 as well as the Daily News visited the Bike Station.

Lights Lights Lights!

Sunset today is 5pm so lights are a must. Everyone should invest in a red blinking tail light, headlight (flashlight a with bungee cord is fine) and a reflective vest or ankle bands. You can get these items at any bike shop and most department stores that sell bikes.

The Bicycle Coalition will be giving away a limited number of tail lights and reflective stickers at the MSB Bike Station today.

Locking Your Bike

1. Use a flat key U-Lock to secure the frame and rear wheel to the rack or other fixed object.
2. Use a cable lock to secure the front wheel.
3. Alternatively you can use a U-Lock with a cable loop.
4. Two different types of locks require different tools to defeat and therefore make it a smaller target.

Bike Station Details

In the event of a septa strike the Bike Station will be located on the west side of the Plaza at the Municipal Services Building

Hours of operation will from from 8am - 6pm Monday to Friday. It works like a coat check, you roll your bike up to the attendant and pick up a claim check, no lock needed. The service will be free.

Staying Safe Out There

Did you know that in Pennsylvania cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles and are subject to the same traffic laws? Find out how to ride safely in traffic in a 5 minute video at the Share-the-Road.org website.

"Wear Your Helmet" has become as ubiquitous as "Buckle Your Seatbelt" and with good reason, If everyone wore a helmet we could reduce head trauma injuries cyclist deaths by 75%. Refer to the PENNDOT Bicycle Safety page to learn how to properly fit a helmet.

And don't forget Eastern Standard Time means early darkness, make sure you have lights.

Planning Your Route and Checking Your Bike

There are several resources to plan your route and tips on making sure that you and your bicycle can safely make the trip on the strike page of the Bicycle Coalition website.

Its not too early to plan your route you should consult the Philadelphia Regional Bicycle Map. If you are web savvy your route runs along state roads you can view videologs (movies) of the roadway on the PENNDOT website (Use Internet Explorer to view the videologs).

TWU Sets Oct 31 Strike Deadline

The union representing 5,000 employees who operate the city's buses, subways and trolleys threatened Sunday to go on strike at the end of the month if a contract dispute cannot be resolved.

Here we go again

A special TWU Local 234 meeting will be held in early October to discuss possible labor action. The issue is at hand is health care. We already have three strikes another false alarm seems unlikely.

Contract Extension looks likely

Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - As a third contract deadline looms for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's largest union, both sides say they may consider an extension.

"It is something we are willing to discuss," Bob Bedard, a spokesman for the Transport Workers Union Local 234, said Monday. SEPTA also was willing to discuss an extension, spokesman Jim Whitaker said.

SEPTA's contract with the union had been extended for 30 days, from March 15 to April 15, and again for 60 days, until midnight Tuesday. A work stoppage would halt buses, subways and trolleys, while regional rail trains between the city and suburbs would continue to run.

Issues remaining unsettled Monday included how much the transit operators, mechanics and cashiers would contribute to their monthly health care premiums, union President Jeff Brooks said. Whitaker said talks would continue Tuesday.

One Month to Go

The buses are running and the talk of a strike no longer dominates the headlines since a two month delay was put in, however one month later there has been no movement between the TWU and SEPTA. And in fact an article in the Daily News suggests that we may be in for a showdown. SEPTA's filing an unfair-labor-practice complaint against the union